Sharing the People's Joy and Concern
Text
English translation
Original Chinese text
齐宣王见孟子于雪宫。王曰:‘贤者亦有此乐乎?’孟子对曰:‘有。人不得,则非其上矣。’
English translation
King Xuan of Qi met Mencius at the Snow Palace and asked, ‘Do worthy people enjoy pleasures like this?’ Mencius replied, ‘They do. When people cannot enjoy them, they reproach those who govern them.’
Original Chinese text
‘不得而非其上者,非也;为民上,而不与民同乐者,亦非也。’
English translation
‘It is wrong for people to blame their rulers simply because they lack such pleasures. It is also wrong for rulers not to share joy with the people.’
Original Chinese text
‘乐民之乐者,民亦乐其乐;忧民之忧者,民亦忧其忧。乐以天下,忧以天下;然而不王者,未之有也。’
English translation
‘A ruler who rejoices in the people's joy will find them rejoicing in his; one who worries over their troubles will find them caring about his. There has never been one who shared the realm's joys and worries yet failed to achieve kingly rule.’
Original Chinese text
‘昔者齐景公问于晏子曰:吾欲观于转附、朝舞,遵海而南,放于琅邪;吾何修而可以比于先王观也?’
English translation
‘In former days Duke Jing of Qi asked Yanzi: “I wish to tour Zhuanfu and Chaowu, go south along the coast, and reach Langya. How should I conduct the journey so that it compares with the tours of former kings?”’
Original Chinese text
‘晏子对曰:善哉问也!天子适诸侯曰巡狩。巡狩者,巡所守也。诸侯朝于天子曰述职。述职者,述所职也。无非事者。’
English translation
‘Yanzi answered: “A fine question. When the Son of Heaven visits the lords, it is called an inspection of what they guard. When the lords attend him, they report on their duties. Neither journey is without public business.”’
Original Chinese text
‘春省耕而补不足,秋省敛而助不给。夏谚曰:吾王不游,吾何以休?吾王不豫,吾何以助?一游一豫,为诸侯度。’
English translation
‘In spring he inspects the fields and helps those in want; in autumn he inspects the harvest and aids those short of supplies. A saying from the Xia has it: “If our king never travels, how shall we find relief? If he never makes a progress, how shall we receive help?” Such journeys set a measure for other rulers.’
Original Chinese text
‘今也不然:师行而粮食,饥者弗食,劳者弗息;睊睊胥谗,民乃作慝。方命虐民,饮食若流;流连荒亡,为诸侯忧。’
English translation
‘Things are different now: the traveling retinue consumes provisions while the hungry go unfed and the weary get no rest. People glare at and accuse one another, and resentment spreads. Rulers defy their proper charge, abuse the people, and indulge in food, drink, and roaming pleasures, becoming a concern to other lords.’
Original Chinese text
‘从流下而忘反,谓之流;从流上而忘反,谓之连;从兽无厌,谓之荒;乐酒无厌,谓之亡。’
English translation
‘To drift downstream and forget to return is called liu; to go upstream and forget to return is lian. To hunt without restraint is called huang; to drink without restraint is called wang.’
Original Chinese text
‘先王无流连之乐,荒亡之行。惟君所行也。’景公说,大戒于国,出舍于郊。于是始兴发补不足。
English translation
‘The former kings took no pleasure in such aimless roaming or excess. The choice of conduct is yours.’ Duke Jing was pleased. He issued orders throughout the state, stayed outside the city, and began opening the granaries to aid those in need.
Original Chinese text
召大师曰:‘为我作君臣相说之乐。’盖徵招、角招是也。其诗曰:‘畜君何尤?’畜君者,好君也。
English translation
Duke Jing summoned his music master: ‘Compose music for the joy shared by ruler and ministers.’ The pieces may have been the Zhi Zhao and Jue Zhao. Their verse asks, ‘What fault is there in restraining a ruler?’ To restrain him in this sense is to care for him.